The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Containers utilized for carrying golf clubs are abundant in the art, varying in size, construction, mobility, storage, and ease of use. Many golf bags suffer from the same disadvantages of excessive size and weight, as well as having a lack of sufficient storage for accessories, such as tees, balls, pencils, old scorecards, gloves, insect repellant, ball markers, etc., which are randomly strewn throughout the storage pockets or pouches of the golf bag. If the storage areas are large enough (usually governed by the size of the bag), one often finds an old jacket or two, towels, and hats. When the golfer wishes to locate a specific item or article, several different storage areas are routinely searched. This problem is compounded by the location of these storage areas and their circumferential positioning around the exterior of the bag. If the bag is mounted onto a wheeled cart, certain storage areas may simply not be accessible without removal of the bag from the cart. Since the storage areas are usually soft pouches, the interior space may be compressed or contorted such that it is difficult to retrieve the contents. Another disadvantage commonly associated with conventional golf bags is that the interior space of the golf bag is excessive with respect to the space needs for the clubs which are carried therein, and this represents another design inefficiency.
The first category of golf club carriers, while not altogether suffering from all of the same above-identified disadvantages, is of a somewhat different style and should not be considered a golf bag in the general sense. These “low-boy” carriers do not provide any protection to the clubs from the elements; storage space is limited; durability is questionable; and transporting is awkward. These types of shortcomings have been recognized generally by golfers, thereby accounting for the limited popularity of this first category or type of carrier. Further, there is no attempt with carriers of either category to arrange the storage areas in a particular manner, nor to reduce size and weight while retaining the desirable features of conventional golf bags.
One prior art design, U.S. Pat. No. 3,172,681 issued to Moses, discloses a golf club carrier in combination with a wheeled golf cart which includes a plurality of club-receiving tubes extending between a top plate and a bottom plate. The top plate is further configured with areas for storage of golf balls, tees, and scorecards, and interior to the plurality of tubes is an accessory bag. Although this construction eliminates some of the excessive weight and size associated with conventional golf bags, nothing is done to simplify and make more efficient the storage of accessory golf items. Furthermore, this type of golf bag provides no means of closing up the bag to protect the clubs and other contents from damage.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,911, issued to Kebelbeck, discloses a receptacle which is adapted for attachment to a golf bag cart for the storage therein of street shoes or golf shoes as well as a removable waterproof cover for the golf bag itself. Although this particular disclosure pertains to a storage compartment for golf equipment, it does not represent a modification or change in design of golf club carriers and is believed to be of only limited applicability to the present invention. Furthermore, the overall size of the bag is increased with the attached receptacle, making storage and transportation of the bag more difficult.
Ackerfeldt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,563, discloses a golf bag for storage and transport of golf clubs and includes a relatively long and narrow container, preferably of a plastic material, for receipt of the golf clubs such that with the shafts inserted, only the heads of the clubs protrude from the container at its upper open end. Separate storage bags are provided and are detachably mounted to the exterior surface of the container by means of two parallel, external key grooves in the peripheral wall of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,563, issued to Kirchhoff, Jr., discloses a rigid-sided golf bag having a plurality of independent golf club holding tubes partially encircling several storage compartments. Unfortunately, the bag of this construction provides for no means of securely resting the bag in a vertical orientation without fear of the bag toppling over while not attended.
While these and other designs for golf bags have implemented means for storing additional equipment besides golf clubs, none has taken into consideration implementing a truly organized means of storing such accessories and providing a way of protecting the clubs and accessories from the elements or from damage due to the bag falling over. Furthermore, none of the above prior art provides a golf bag having a detachable means of motorized motility which greatly enhances the golfing experience by reducing the fatigue of the golfer. Though each of the above patent references relate generally to conventional golf bags and modifications thereof, none of the disclosures anticipates the invention described herein.